Lycanthrope
by BlackDragon733
Summary: The unwritten chapters in the life of everybody's favourite Werewolf. I have no idea how much of his life i will actually do. This story has been on hiatus for some time.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **You know it's not mine. Not the characters, not the basic plot. Just some of the bits in between.

Chapter 1

The boy sat in the woods engrossed in his favourite book, a story about a Muggle-born who discovered he had magic. The boy had lost track of time and only looked up when he heard his mother's voice shouting for him through the trees to come in as it was getting dark. The leaves around him were shimmering with the pure light from the moon.

It was the time the boy loved most, when the moon was full and it hung round and majestic in the sky. He decided to read to the end of the chapter although he could already smell his mother's pie wafting on the evening breeze.

When he was done he marked the page and carefully closed the book. Rising, he turned back to the familiar path that led to his house but as he did so he caught a glimpse of something move a short distance away in the undergrowth. Curious, he looked through the trees and saw a tiny, glistening light appear. Then he just made out a dark, hulking shape. The glimmer had been the moonlight reflecting off two-inch canine teeth. Then the boy realised what he was seeing, he had read enough about them. It was a huge, stormy grey werewolf!

It turned its head to him and snarled. The boy's eyes widened in terror and he yelled in the hope of someone hearing him. He turned and ran as fast as he possibly could in the direction of his house but it was not fast enough. The boy was young, only about seven, there was no way he could outrun a fully grown werewolf. He was still unconsciously clinging to the book in his hand as he pelted between the trees.

So the beast was gaining on him and he could hear its humungous feet thudding as they hit the ground between the enormous strides. Then it leapt and everything seemed to go in slow motion for the child. It threw him forward where he hit his head on the ground painfully. The lycanthrope skidded to a halt and turned back to finish him off. There was already a thin trickle of warm liquid falling down his face. Blood was coming from a wound on his forehead, a token of is painful fall.

The beast was taking its time walking up behind the terrified young child, savouring the petrified whimpering, dry leaves crackling beneath its paws, itching for the kill. Then the gigantic teeth sank into his shoulder and he screamed in agony, but it sounded distant - not part of him. His whole body stiffened as he sensed the beast raise its deadly paw for the final blow and everything went numb. He couldn't keep his eyes open and instead screwed them up tight for the final blow. Then he heard feet pelting towards him and two voices screamed hexes. All the boy felt was fear and pain, he had no hope left.

But then the werewolf seemed to flinch and it removed its heavy paw from the child's back so that he could breathe again. The last thing he heard was retreating paw beats and his mother's anguished scream. Then he collapsed into darkness.

The boy was about the average height for a boy of his age, he had tousled light brown hair and usually cheerful grey eyes. Living in a country house there weren't many other children around but he had one friend, Pepin, who he had always played with from the village a couple of miles away and they had always been best friends. The boy's name was Remus Lupin.

I don't like to be one of those people who always asks for reviews in return for the next chapter but I only wrote this story as a test of different emotions so if there are any improvements you think I could make - or blimey, if you even have praise - please just take a little time to leave a greatly appreciated comment. thank you for reading.


	2. Doctor's Diagnosis

**Thank You **lickitysplit, Jolly Ozzy Jones for your comments, as it is my first story I am very thankful for the kind reviews. That still doesn't mean I don't want constructive criticism. It always helps. And pipperrocks13, yes I do like Remus Lupin. :)

**Disclaimer: **Same again...it's not mine, you know it. Otherwise BlackDragon733 would not be writing on FANFiction.

Chapter Two

"I think we were lucky. I think...I think that was... Greyback himself"

"You call that lucky? Oh my poor boy!"

"Sssh, look, I think he's coming round."

Remus opened his bleary eyes to see two familiar faces looking down at him. His mother's face was tear-stained and his father looked extremely concerned. He tried to sit up but a sharp pain in his right shoulder made him lie down again stiffly.

"No dear, you stay still for now." crooned his mother. Remus trusted her to know what she was doing because she worked at St. Mungo's, the Wizard hospital. "We've called for a doctor but I think... I think they still haven't found a cure for a...a..."

"A werewolf bite, I know." He said, surprised at the strength of his voice, even though he was trembling inside, not that it was very strong but he had hardly expected a sound at all. His mother gave out a half-sob, half-moan and started crying into her husband's shoulder. He comforted her in a voice that sounded weird and empty to Remus, then a noise made him look up. The doctor had arrived.

After half an hour of sitting in the kitchen listening as Dr. Herfin talked to his parents about his condition as if he wasn't even there Remus was feeling more and more depressed. He had lost count of the amount of times the doctor had described him in one word, "Hopeless".

Eventually the doctor left with the advice that they should build some place, like a small room, for the boy to make his transformations in. As soon as he had closed the front door behind him Remus' parents both turned to him with sorrowful eyes. Not feeling up to being comforted he asked if his parents could help him to his room. He was feeling strangely distanced from them. Once they got there he asked them to leave and instantly he fell onto his pillow in a weeping pile on his bed. It was all his fault. It would never have happened if he had listened to his mother and not strayed too far from the house.

So now look what had happened, he thought, once a month when the moon was full he would lose his mind and become a raging beast. Soon he sank into a fitful sleep, haunted by the dream of drumming footsteps behind him, gaining on him all the time. His pursuer sprang at him as he woke, sitting bolt upright and sweating but sank down again almost instantly. His shoulder had spasmed uncomfortably, to say the least. Once he had returned to his normal breathing rate he looked out the window. It had just got light and the early birds were singing.

He got up and walked downstairs into the kitchen. His shoulder was stiff but it didn't hurt so much anymore after the doctor had cleared up the wound. He ate his breakfast on his own, his dad entered just as he was finishing.

"Hey Remus," He said, slightly warily, "I was going to build a shed in the garden today. I thought you might want to help." Remus tried to smile, mainly to make his dad think he was taking this in his stride. And when he spoke he tried to make his voice sound normal, as if it was just a garden shed, not a prison for him to transform into a monster inside once every month.

"Well I haven't got anything better to do." He shrugged.

"Great! I'll have my breakfast then we can go and buy what we need."

So over the week Remus built the shed with his father. He knew that his father would have been able to put the shed up in a few minutes with magic but he realised this way his dad was keeping him company and also watching how he was doing. He was glad for the company but during the days he acted as if nothing had happened but then in his room at night he mulled over everything in his head.

Too soon came the time he had been dreading. It was three days before the full moon and he began to feel ill. His head hurt sometimes and a sense of lethargy came over him so he really didn't feel like doing anything most of the time. His mother kept fussing over him and though it was nice for her to be worried he got a bit annoyed as she was constantly with him and didn't give him a moments peace. Once while he was thinking this he realised another symptom had formed. He was never normally this irritable.

Every night his panic increased, he didn't know what strength he had yet as a werewolf, what if he tore himself out of the shed! This thought also made him think of how he was going to be locked in a shed, rejected by even his parents. He knew this was the only thing they could do of course. When transformed all books said that werewolves lost their own minds and would kill their best friend if they were in reach. He stopped himself from thinking this sharply, it was a heart-breaking thought. Once a month for the rest of his life he would lose his own mind completely.


	3. St Mungo's

**A/N:** Sorry it's been a while but i've been re-reading all the books to try and get facts right. Unfortunately i have already made a mistake, some of you might have noticed that Remus' mother is supposed to be a muggle. Ah well. Thanks for the reviews from those who sent them, you know who you are and please keep them coming, I like to know what you think.

**Disclaimer: **You get it, surely. Not mine.

So here's chapter 3!

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Chapter Three

Remus had not known it but over the past month both of his parents had been frantically looking through every source they could find, searching for only one thing, a cure for lycanthropy. There was only one opinion on the fate of their child.

Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them - Newt Scamander:

'Humans turn into werewolves only when bitten. There is no known cure'

Dangerous Creatures Around The World - Jagienka Kjeldsson

'If bitten by a werewolf there is nothing to be done except let the condition occur. There is no remedy.'

Illnesses and Afflictions - Kit Kersey

'A source once told that strands of mane from a kelpie in the most common horse form and wolf fangs dissolved in streeler venom will undo the curse of the werewolf. This is simply a nonsense recipe dreamt up because of the nature of the ingredients. The kelpie mane hair will disappear as soon as it is taken from the creature and the streeler venom is so deadly anyone who even attempted this would most certainly be killed. The search for a cure for this particular affliction is hopeless.'

So there was no hope. Remus had no chance but to live the rest of his life carrying a terrible secret.

Their last chance was the renowned St. Mungo's hospital. The day of the full moon Remus was woken by his parents around 11.00 a.m. (he found he was feeling a lot more tired at the moment) and once they were all dressed and had eaten breakfast they gathered around the fireplace. Then they set off one by one into the grates in the hospital reception. They looked at the sign behind the reception desk and the witch in front of it directed them to the first floor. Remus too read the floor guide and the first floor was labeled:

CREATURE-INDUCED INJURIES ...First Floor

Bites, stings, burns, embedded spines, etc.

When they arrived there another wizard in lime-green robes led them into the Dai Llewellyn Ward for 'Serious Bites'. A woman who introduced herself as Healer Jacqueline Medethen led them to a bed by the door. There was no one else in the ward and Healer Medethen was happily chatting to them while the family simply nodded and appeared to listen while their mind was really on other things.

"Well, it's been really quiet on this ward for a couple of weeks, of course that's a good thing but my trainee healer has really had nothing to do. He's only just started but he is very good. He'll be here in a moment, we just need to get down a few credentials and then we can sort out some other things. Oh, here he is now, I'll leave you to it then." And she bustled out just as her trainee healer, Hippocrates Smethwyck, took out his clipboard. He was a lot less boisterous than his boss and Remus felt much better, Healer Medethen's babbling had not been helping his headache.

"Okay, first I just need your whole names." He turned to Remus first but his father answered for him. Remus didn't argue, this bed was far too comfy for arguing.

"I am John Caleb Lupin; this is my wife, Rhoda Kathryn Lupin and my son Remus John Lupin."

"Thank you," replied Healer Smethwyck as he quickly scribbled down the information. "Now, your address?"

Remus drifted out of focus at this point, he really was very tired. Instead he was lying there thinking about everything that had happened to him in the last month. He had read a lot of books himself on the subject of werewolves and, like his parents, he had found nothing to help him. All he had seen were tales of the horror of werewolves, their status in society, the pain of transformation, and he had all of this to look forward to, he thought dejectedly.

Then the conversation changed and he was brought back to the present. Healer Smethwyck was just asking his parents, "So what is the reason you are here." Rhoda Lupin mumbled an answer incomprehensibly, but Healer Smethwyck just smiled encouragingly and said, "Don't worry; we are totally confidential about your problems if you need us to be."

"A werewolf bite." Said Remus's mother only a little louder but this time the healer heard. His encouraging smile faltered for just a split second but it was long enough for Remus to notice and, it appeared, so did his parents.

"There's nothing you can do, is there?" asked his father in a hollow voice.

"Unfortunately, as you will probably know, there has not yet been a successful cure. The only thing we can do for you is to give you some help with the necessary precautions." Smethwyck said calmly.

"We already have a place for transformations. We've sorted that. Is there absolutely nothing you can do? Can't you help our only son?" pleaded Mrs. Lupin.

"I can totally understand your distress but…" the healer began but Rhoda Lupin cut him off, angrily this time.

"Oh, can you? Tell me, exactly how many of your children have been attacked by a monster that could change the rest of their life? How many children do you even have? You have no idea what it's like to have this happen in your family."

"Mum." Remus said quietly but she didn't hear him or pretended not to. He tried again. "Mum, stop!" She did so and they all looked at him. He didn't know what to say next, he had only wanted his mother to stop getting herself so upset over him. Instead his father spoke.

"Is there anything at all that you can suggest we do?" At the same time he put his arm around his wife's shoulders soothingly. It seemed to work because she wasn't shouting any more but she silently turned to her husband and hid her face in his shoulder.

"Maybe if you come through to next room I can explain a little more. After all, it seems young Remus here may want some peace." He smiled at Remus who was hastily trying to conceal a yawn.

"No, I'm alright, really." He tried to argue but John Lupin smiled at him too and told him not to worry.

"Don't be ashamed if you're tired, Remus." Healer Smethwyck told him. "It's to be expected around this time, your body needs energy for tonight." And at that he led Remus' parents back out of the room leaving Remus on his own.


	4. Moonlit Confessions

**A/N: **As an apology for the long wait for the last chapter here is the second chapter of the day. I have been typing while I read the books only, not exactly chronologically.

So here is another chapter and anothr apology. You see, I am about to go on holiday for two weeks so i won't have the internet to update. But I will take the laptop and might have time to do a bit more story. Until next time, toodle-pip.

**Disclaimer:** Unlike my friends I was not clever enough to do a disclaimer to cover the whole story, so I just have to keep coming up with ways with which to diclaim my ownership of any of these characters or or places, or even the ward they're in.

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Chapter Four

Finally night came and Remus felt worse than ever. The sky outside the window in the ward was almost completely dark, the sun was setting on the other side of the hospital. Then his parents came into the room followed by Healer Smethwyck.

"It's time for you to get ready." His mother said very quietly. He got out of the bed and followed the three adults out of the room. They walked down the Creature Induced injuries corridor to a door at the very end. Something about it looked as though it had just been squeezed in as an afterthought.

"This room has been placed here just for your transformation tonight." The healer told him, confirming his suspicions. "There have been various enchantments placed around it so you can't break out and also a silencing charm so no one else in the hospital will be able to hear you."

"It's okay, Remus," his father said gently. "We'll stay in the hospital but..."

"You can't come in." Remus finished for him. His father nodded. "I get it." He said, but his voice betrayed some of the fear he was feeling because his mother made a sound and next moment she was bending over him and hugging him tightly, whispering reassurances in his ear. He hugged her back half-heartedly. He didn't want a fuss, he didn't want any of this but now, it couldn't be helped.

"Sorry, but it's almost time for the moonrise." Healer Smethwyck interrupted them. "I would say you only have about 10 minutes." John Lupin nodded and bent down to his family. Slowly he pulled his wife away from his son and opened the door to the room.

It definitely looked like there was more room on the inside than there should have been but he guessed there had just been some charm put on it to give him more space. He looked back at his parents. His mother gave him once last kiss and his father gave him a hug too. Then patting him on the shoulder he led him in. Remus couldn't help but think they were overreacting slightly, he was going to see them again the next day and he was surely perfectly safe here, in a hospital surrounded by lots of qualified healers.

He sat down on the chair and looked around at the other things in the room. Lots of furniture, chairs, tables, and even an old, broken hospital bed. As he looked around he heard his parents close the door and the only chink of light in the room was gone. That made him notice that the room had no windows.

Suddenly he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He reached up his hand to touch his neck and felt the skin on the palm had hardened. His legs began to change shape, making it very uncomfortable to sit on the bed. He stood up and promptly fell forwards onto all fours. The ball of his feet to the heel lengthened until he was just standing on his toes but it felt oddly natural now. His fingers and hands shortened and curled into the paws, and claws, of a wolf. He heard the rip of material as his body grew and changed. Hair sprouted all over his body and it felt like thousands of blunt needles poking him all over, causing a burning sensation not dissimilar to that of pins and needles. A feeling was coming over his face as if something was about to burst out and it sort of did. He tried to scream out in pain but all that came out was a long, low howl. Then the stirring wolf in his mind took over just as his clothes tore off him completely.

As they closed the door Remus' parents paused outside for a moment to listen. They couldn't hear a single thing but they knew that was only because of the silencing charms surrounding it. Healer Smethwyck led them back down the corridor to the ward Remus had been in all day. They declined the offer to come through into the office and instead they sat together silently, with John's arm around Rhoda, as much for his comfort as for hers.

Mrs Lupin looked over her shoulder at the window as the tiniest sliver of moon began to appear over the horizon. A stricken look crossed her face and her hands closed convulsively in her lap. Mr. Lupin had noticed. "Rhoda dear, we can't help him now."

"But John, that's our only son, I can't stand it." Their eyes met and they shared each other's heart-wrenching sorrow. They were quiet a moment longer while Rhoda thought of her son struggling through the rest of his life with such a terrible curse and John considered his own terrible secret.

"It's all my fault!" they both cried then looked at each other in surprise.

"I shouldn't have let him wander so far into the woods all the time." sobbed Rhoda. "I should have thought about the dangers he could face, he's only a tiny boy." Suddenly John's guilty conscience flooded out.

"No, it's not," he said rather more forcefully than he had intended, making his wife look up at him. "It's because of me."

"Don't say that…"

"No, it's true. When I was younger and full of myself, just a couple of years out of school I saw one man who looked rather… odd. Well, we said some things and got into an argument. He was very hot-headed and I said some other things that I am too ashamed to repeat. Finally the man drew out his wand and I don't know what he was about to do but luckily another man came across us before it was too late. The first man didn't want to do anything in front of a witness but before he left he told me he would have his revenge."

"But what…?"

"It was only after this that I saw a picture in the paper and realised the man who had threatened me had been Fenrir Greyback himself." John buried his face in his hands and only looked up at his wife again after a couple of moments. Then he burst out, saying "Now look what I brought on this family. It would be better if he had just killed me there and then. Better than this. And I would completely understand if you…wanted to…you know, blame me for it. I blame myself."

They stared at each other for some time until a loud noise from the floors above broke the tense silence. Then Rhoda jumped up and threw her arms around her husband.

"How could you think that I would ever do anything but love you. It is **not** your fault. How were you to know." She looked up him and they both saw the glistening tears in each others eye.


	5. Pepin

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Chapter Five

Remus opened his eyes, or rather, eye because one of them wouldn't open and it hurt quite a lot. He lifted his head off the floor a fraction to look in a splinter of mirror by his head. A bleeding wound narrowly missed it and his eyelid was slightly swollen. He sat up but when he tried to stand one of his ankles gave way and he fell again. He realized it must be sprained or dislocated but he wasn't worried as his mum could fix things like that.

It was 3 years since he had first been bitten and he was pretty used to any injuries he had given himself during the Full Moon, although they gave him the look of someone on the losing end of a fight.

Remus lay and waited. His mother came down to the shed for him at around 11.00 o' clock because he was usually awake by then. Soon enough he heard her unlocking the door. She opened the door and helped him up. She put a coat around his shoulders and then they made their way back up to the house with Remus leaning heavily on her to take the weight off his painful leg.

As she was seeing to his various wounds he asked, "When you're done will I be able to go down to the village? I haven't seen Pepin in ages."

"What? You mean since last weekend? Well, I suppose. Do you want me to come down with you?"

"No I'll be fine, but I need a new excuse. I can't say I fell out another tree."

"How about…you fell into a ditch?"

"I guess that'll do."

"But you're going to have a rest and some food first. Honestly, I don't know where you kids get all this energy from." muttered his mother. Even though she was slightly preoccupied with his ankle it didn't stop her fussing over him.

When he got to the village he found Pepin's house and they decided to go out into the nearby fields. They played around, even in the cold January air they both grew too hot to continue and instead flopped down on the ground next to each other, panting for breath. They began excitedly discussing something that was quite important to both of them. In a couple of months time Remus would be 11 and a few months after that Pepin would also turn 11. Next September both of them would be old enough to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Once they had exhausted every possible thing they could think to say about that subject Pepin asked,"So what have you done to your eye? It looks quite nasty."

"I wasn't looking where I was going in the woods and I tripped into a ditch. And, just my luck, it was full of brambles." He answered as if this was a story.

"Remus, I'm not that stupid."

"What?" Remus asked, slightly taken aback by his friends reply.

"You've fallen into ditches, fallen out of trees, dropped stuff on yourself, even been attacked by a badger! Something is not right. You weren't this accident-prone a couple of years back. What going on?" Pepin seemed to have been thinking about this for a while.

Remus didn't know what to say. He hadn't expected this. Suddenly he thought, I've been best mates with Pepin for as long as I can remember. If I can tell anyone at all it's got to be him. So he did. He told everything while Pepin sat there gaping at him.

When he had finished Pepin said in a forced calm voice, "You're serious?" Remus nodded and Pepin sprang up. "Your _parents_ know? Do _my_ parents know? And they're letting me _play_ with you? Get away from me you…you…_monster_!" He started to back away but Remus reached out and caught him by the arm, just. He had hoped that maybe Pepin was just joking around but he couldn't miss the look in his eyes.

"Your parents don't know. You have to promise not to tell anyone, not a soul." Remus begged, suddenly frightened and gripping Pepin's arm tightly. "Promise, please." Pepin struggled but Remus caught his eye and Pepin held still. They looked at each other a moment then Pepin swallowed and nodded. Remus felt so relieved, thinking that he and his friend could maybe carry on playing, and for a second he relaxed. Pepin felt his hold loosen and he wrenched his arm free. Remus tried to grab him again but missed. He watched as Pepin ran across to the gate at the other end of the field without a backwards glance.

Remus sank to the ground, feeling numb. He had thought that he could tell his friend and then, if anything, they would be better friends without any secrets but it had all gone wrong. His so-called pal had just shrunk away from him and left. The person he had been closest to for all of his life had looked at him with something Remus had never seen. Pepin's look had communicated so many things and all of them hurt Remus. Fear, disgust, hatred, mistrust; age-old prejudices that even two best friends couldn't overcome.

The fears came from the threat he posed in his transformed state and he was a fool to think that people would want him around them. No parents would want him around their children; therefore no school could want him. He would not be able to go to Hogwarts.

As Remus sat in the middle of the field a wave of grief swept over him and he curled up into a ball, sobbing.

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**Please read AND review! Reviews make me happy.**


	6. Hope Is Lost

**Disclaimer: I just don't.**

**Sorry, really need to put these up faster but at the moment we are getting tests all the time in school. Okay, well hope you like this one.**

**Thank you , LeeTen749 for the review it is greatly appreciated. Keep them coming people!**

**If you like High School Musical check out my other story that I am currently co-writing with -Artjuice-. It is on her accout and it is called Bouncified Jazz Squares. It is from Ryan's point of view because we all love the geek in the hats!!!**

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Chapter Six

Remus sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes. His clock told him it was 10.16 but he didn't trust it, it tended to change hours at a time, depending on its mood. He was just contemplating whether he was hungry or not and decided that yes, it was worth going downstairs for breakfast.

Stiffly he climbed out of bed and began to get dressed. He knew that doing so would strain his new wounds but he just didn't like wandering around in his pyjamas. He limped to the top of the stairs.

"It's almost his 11th birthday."

His mother's voice made him stop. He knew it was wrong to eavesdrop but he was curious about where she was going with this point.

"I know."

"He would get his letter this July."

This was the thing Remus had been dwelling on for the past couple of months, since he had last seen Pepin. He had not brought it up with his parents and he had taken solace from the fact that they hadn't mentioned it to him.

"I know, love, but he just won't…there's no way the teachers would…they won't let him in."

The defeated tone in his father's voice was the worst part.

"Maybe Armando Dippett wouldn't, but there's a new headmaster; Albus Dumbledore. He's a fair man, and a powerful man. Surely he could help…"

"If he could help lycanthropes he would be celebrated even more than he already is over the defeat of Grindelwald. But he hasn't, so what can he do?"

Remus noticed that his parents preferred to use the more formal name for his affliction but kept listening as they continued.

"I don't know, but our son deserves an education, he's a bright boy and he wants to learn. There must be some way… The whole school wouldn't need to know."

"It's not just the problem of people knowing, it's the danger. They just won't have him at a school with all those other children, in danger of…contamination. I know you don't want to think about it like this but, don't get your hopes up on him getting the letter."

Remus didn't move. All his hopes were falling down around him. His parents didn't believe there was any chance, why should he? He was dwelling on thoughts of his future doomed to failure when he almost missed what his mother said next, as she spoke in a very quiet voice.

"He'll be hungry; I should go and wake him up."

He heard her put her cup down and her chair scrape out from underneath the table. She left the kitchen and Remus saw her through the banisters walking past the stairs. She came to the foot of the staircase and looked up. Seeing Remus there her face became even more wretched and she quickly ran up to him.

"I'm sorry Remus. We don't know what to do."

This did nothing but make Remus feel even worse. Seeing his mother like this, pitying him. That was the part he couldn't cope with.

**LINE**

"REMUS! Come to the kitchen!"

Remus looked up from his book. His father's tone told him there was obviously something important going on. He put the bookmark in the book and walked through to the kitchen. Standing on the kitchen bench, a handsome tawny owl was sat staring at him with proud yellow eyes. And tied to his leg was a letter addressed in bottle green ink.

_Mr. R. Lupin_

Thewyck House

Tinworth

He untied it carefully and as soon as he did so the owl spread his wings and flew back out of the window but Remus didn't notice. The letter held two pieces of parchment, both in the same green ink. The first one he opened read:

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., International Confed. Of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr Lupin,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later that 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

He skimmed through the book list but he didn't take it in. He didn't even hear his parent's cries of delight and congratulations. All he could concentrate on was the first sentence of the letter in his hands.

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

He was in.

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	7. Platform Nine and Three Quarters

**Disclaimer: However hard I wish it's still not mine.**

**A.N.: I can't belive how long it has taken for me to update but lots of other stuff got in the way. First GSCE's, maybe ever so slightly more important than fanfiction. Then a pantomime I do every year, it's so fun but i barely manage to do my homework, never mind extra things. And of course Christmas. But I'm back now so I'm watching out for those reviews.**

**Thank you to LeeTen749 and -Artjuice- for reviewing.**

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Chapter Seven

He looked up at the signs on either side of the wall; one said platform nine and the other said platform ten and the bricks looked as solid as solid can be. His heart was thumping so loudly he found it a wonder that no one else could hear it. He stepped towards the wall but nerves made him break into a run. He felt like stopping just before he hit it but he knew he was just being stupid, his parents wouldn't tell him to do this for a joke, surely.

But next moment Remus had emerged in a huge station. It looked just like the other platforms at King's Cross station except it was only here that owls flapped and hooted in cages and people were dressed in long black robes. People clutched toads, cats and many other animals and lugged huge trunks behind them. And in the middle of it all stood a brilliant, gleaming red train, steam billowing from its chimney.

Remus looked around at all the people chatting merrily; old friends who had not seen each other all summer and were exchanging stories already. Everyone was so relaxed and happy to be with mates again that Remus felt suddenly out of place. He had no friends and no one would want to be friends with him, he just knew he wasn't going to fit in and it had nothing to do with his awful secret.

Just then his parents materialised by the barrier behind him. He felt his father put his hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry Remus. A group of Muggles kept asking us which train was going to Newcastle."

"It's fine. I was just…looking."

"It's a fantastic sight, isn't it? I couldn't get enough of this platform when I first came." His fathera muggleborn, said. Remus simply nodded his agreement while he continued to gaze all around. "Well, we can't take too long, the train leaves soon."

"Right." He said, still not looking at them.

"Just make sure you work hard. Make sure you keep in touch, that's why we got you him." She gestured to his new barn owl. He nodded and answered, "I will." Then his father laughed.

"I daresay once you've started making all your friends you'll just forget about us." Remus also laughed because he didn't want to tell them about his suspicions that no one would want to make friends with the small, scarred boy. He simply intended to keep his head down so no one noticed him and he could get on with his work. "Well, keep your nose clean. We know you'll enjoy yourself at school."

"Thanks, I'll see you at Christmas then." Said Remus when he saw other people climbing onto the train in chattering groups and he wondered if he was going to find any space.

"Don't worry about … the moon." Said his mother quietly so no one nearby could overhear but she needn't have bothered, the entire station was so loud you could hardly hear the people next to you. "Dumbledore himself sent us a letter saying he had sorted out certain measures to make it … safe. He'll tell you the details nearer the time."

"But won't people notice that I'm ill every full moon? If people find out the school will have to throw me out."

"Not if you're clever and just come up with believable excuses. Just tell them someone else is ill and you're going to see them, but don't use the same excuse too much. You'll be fine; you always came up with excuses for Pepin." Remus didn't let his parents see his face; they didn't know he had told Pepin but he decided now wasn't the time to let them. But his father had finished. Instead his mother kissed him on the cheek and pulled him to her in a tight embrace. His father just smiled and then helped him pull his trunk to the train.

"Bye son, I know you'll be the best student there." Mrs. Lupin, who had followed them across had finally succumbed to the tears of pride she had been verging on since they left the house. Remus thanked them for their help and reassurances, said a last goodbye and then stepped on board.

Walking down the carriage he saw many compartments already full of people. One carriage was full of people already dressed in their robes, green for Slytherin. In a different compartment he saw a pretty red-haired girl looking out the window sadly but there was a group of loud, boisterous looking boys in there who she was trying to ignore. He skipped that one, and in another partition which he skirted past very quickly, he saw someone he had hoped to avoid. Pepin was sat talking to someone in the seat opposite him.

He wanted a room with some quiet company where he could just hide himself in his book. Finally he found one compartment that no one else was sitting in. He hauled his things in and after pulling his book from one pocket on the trunk settled down to read with the barn owl beside him. He had barely reached his page when another person opened the door and began to walk in.

He was a small, fidgety looking boy with short straw blond hair. He saw Remus sat in the corner and stopped.

"Sorry, I thought it was empty, I'll find somewhere else." He said nervously.

"No, you'll never find an empty one now. You can sit in here." Remus told him and the boy mumbled a quiet thank you and then proceeded to try to heave his trunk into the luggage rack. He made it look very difficult so after a moment Remus offered to help.

"Thanks."

"No problem. I'm Remus by the way, Remus Lupin."

"Peter Pettigrew." He looked at Remus for a moment before asking "Are you a first year too?"

"Yeah, I'm just starting." They talked for a couple of minutes but then the conversation petered away when the door opened again and two other first-years came in, saying that they couldn't find anywhere else. They sat down and started talking to each other quietly. Peter stared out the window at the countryside as it all rushed past and Remus was quite happy just to turn back to his book.

**For those people who are also reading my other story with -Artjuice-, Bouncified Jazz Squares, don't worry, we will update soon but a few similar things got in the way.**


	8. Professor McGonagall

**A/N: Hello people/faithful readers. I know you must be bored sick of waiting for this story and will no doubt give up reading but more things got in the way, pretty much same as the last chapter; GCSE's, pantomime, coursework, broken fingers etc.**

**Disclaimer: ...**

Chapter Eight

When the lunch trolley came Remus couldn't help but laugh. Peter stared hungrily at it and digging in his pockets bought several chocolate frogs and some cauldron cakes. He sat munching happily while Remus grinned secretly at the contented look on his mousy face.

As the journey went on the atmosphere in the first-years compartment got more and more excited. Each of them in turn began to look out the window and finally Remus gave in to the urge and put his book down to gaze. The countryside had become more rugged as they went on and now the sky had begun to darken. Presently they decided it had to be about time to change into their school robes and just as they all sat down again the other boy in the compartment, Andrew Kingston, pointed out something to his friend, Gonte Daswan. All of them looked and saw a huge silhouette appearing in the darkness. A jolt of anticipation ran through Remus as he saw the majestic shadow castle slowly drawing closer.

The train slid to a halt in the station and people crowded out of their compartments so they could get off the train. Everyone swarmed out but not all of them knew where to go. The first-years just got carried along in the throng when suddenly a huge voice boomed out from some direction towards the front of the train.

"Firs' years, this way! Firs' years over 'ere!" Heads in the multitude of people turned and some started to fight their way towards the voice, Remus among them.

The person they were heading towards became clearer above the heads of everyone in the crowd. He was huge, a giant of a man with wild black hair down to his shoulders and a big beard covering half of his face. He really was quite intimidating so the first-years very slowly and reluctantly gathered around him but a couple of older students walked calmly over and greeted him as 'Hagrid' or just waved from further off. After Hagrid had answered them with a friendly greeting or cheerful wave he seemed slightly less frightening.

"Righ' you lot. Le's get going, shou' we?" He said in his deafening voice and at that he turned and began to walk in a different direction to the other crowd of people.

The group of first years followed the gigantic man around some tall trees until suddenly, lying ahead of them in a shimmering sheet, was a huge lake.

And on the lake was a cluster of small boats, dwarfed by the dimensions of the lake.

"Okay," Hagrid said so all of the children could hear, but in the silent night that didn't take much doing. "Climb in, only four to a boat.

"Do we have to cross the lake in them?" Someone said from the middle of the crowd. Remus, standing at the edge, couldn't see the owner of the voice. "Aren't they a little unsteady."

"Nah, you'll be fine." Hagrid answered cheerfully but quite a few people didn't seem at all encouraged as they carefully crawled into the boat. Remus looked around for a boat with some space. He carefully avoided one with a group of noisy boys in who already seemed to be trying to rock the boat as much as possible.

"Stop tha', you lot over there." Hagrid warned them, "Yeh don't want te be soaked for yeh firs' feast do yeh?

Remus found a boat with the two other boys who had been in his compartment on the train. Peter quietly scampered into it after him, almost falling over as he climbed over the high side of the boat and then sat looking nervous. Remus almost would have smiled at Peter's look of terror when the boat started moving on it's own, if he hadn't been so daunted himself.

The boats gracefully made their way across the gigantic lake. It would have been silent except for one boat which was rocking quite a lot due to a couple of the boys in it.

"Hey Sirius!" One of them shouted and when his friend looked up the other quickly scooped water up and hit him in the face. After spluttering for a moment the other quickly retorted.

"Right, that's it." Sirius stood up and started rocking the boat as much as possible. The other people sat in the vessel clung to the sides with whitening knuckles. Remus saw Hagrid, who had a boat to himself next to theirs, roll his eyes and mutter under his breath, "There's always one" before steering his boat over towards the now everything-but-capsized craft to calm them down.

Faster than they had expected the students felt their boats gently rock as they hit the opposite shore. They clambered out and those who had seemed scared before were now almost shaking.

"This way!" Hagrid called to them merrily and led them up towards the castle. Remus looked ahead as the dark stone walls loomed above them. They went through a huge, heavy oak door which Hagrid swung open with apparent ease and were halted in a high entrance hallway. "Wait 'ere for Professor McGonagall to tell yeh what teh do. Now I'm off teh get in teh hall. Dumbledore says teh elves have outdone themsel's this year. See yeh in there." With that and a wave he clumped off through the big door with detailed carvings in front of them.

The students stood looking around. Some were looking absolutely awed by the rooms the were in, some seemed rather blasé and most of them were nervously chattering with someone near them. Remus just ignored the people and looked up at the ceiling. It had some fascinating designs and pictures on that e was hoping he could find some of the history and things to. He wondered if the rest of the castle had such wonderful decorations and he reckoned that just the contents of this room - the wall hangings, the tables and the huge china vase in the corner - cost more than his whole parents' house. Peter, stood shaking by his side turned as if to say something to Remus but was instantly cut off by the big door in front of them opening. A woman walked through it and closed it again. The loud sound of conversation that had momentarily drifted through was instantly cut off again.

The woman looked quite young looking, very tall with a thin face. She smiled around at all the nervous students stood in the hall. Most of the children were looking at her obediently but two at the back, both with very dark hair who Remus recognized as Sirius and his friend, were chattering, laughing and blatantly ignoring the teacher. She quietly looked at them then started speaking.

"Hello children. I am Professor McGonagall as Hagrid probably told you. I am the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. I hope if any of you have any problems here you will come see me or the Head of your House.

Now in a few moments you will be sorted into your houses. Whichever one you are chosen for I hope you can make your housemates and this school proud. Follow me into the hall and wait in a line where I tell you. When I call your name you will walk forward straight away. Don't keep everyone waiting. Did you all hear that?" She said in a slightly louder voice, looking at the boys at the back who were still talking. They looked up innocently at that moment.

Remus sincerely doubted they even knew the meaning of the word 'innocently' but he followed as the rest of the queue filed into the hall, the great door was now opened for them to go through. They followed Professor McGonagall, most people either chattering nervously or walking in daunted silence into the huge space of the Great Hall of Hogwarts.

**Thank you to my faithful reviewer of the last chapter LeeTen749. Maybe a couple more would be helpful.**


	9. The Sorting Hat

**A/N: Wow, I'd pretty much forgotten about this, but it's the holidays, i have time, so maybe if anybody reads this i'll start writing it properly again. I've already started the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: No, just no.**

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Chapter 9

Remus would have stopped dead in his tracks to look all around himself and take in the sight of the Great Hall for the first time. Sure, his parents had told him what Hogwarts was like, but he'd never imagined the sheer scale of it's size and magnificence.

The students were led in a terrified huddle around a long desk at the front of the hall and made to line up in front of it, facing outwards. From there they could see all the way to the other side of the hall, and it was huge. Four seemingly endless tables full of students, all dressed in black robes just like the first years, but with a lot more knowledge, authority. Every one of the people on those benches seemed to be staring back, staring at him and he tried not to panic. It was silly what he was thinking, they didn't know his secret, he would make friends here. It was funny how telling yourself these things never seemed to make one jot of difference.

Instead of looking at them he looked up; above the heads of the seated students there were hundreds of floating candles, hanging of their own accord and providing the light in the room. His gaze continued to move up towards the ceiling of the room. There he saw the same clear, starry night they had just come inside from. If he didn't know better, he could have sworn there was no ceiling there at all.

His eyes flickered unwillingly to the waning gibbous moon that was also hanging above them, he still had almost 4 weeks left before, he knew, any friends he had made would figure out his secret and he would be asked to leave Hogwarts again. He looked away quickly and focused on the floating candles, deciding they were better than looking up at the sky or down at the other students.

Then he felt Peter shift uncomfortably, he was still standing right next to him, slightly closer than Remus would normally have thought was comfortable, but right now he took support from feeling at least one person there was possibly even more afraid than he was. He looked to see what had got Peter's attention and saw that the tall, thin woman (McGonagall was it?) was bringing a stool into the room and placed it in front of the children on the small raised platform the teacher's desk sat on. On top of it she put an old, raggy wizard's hat.

This, Remus knew, must be the Sorting Hat, judging by the fact all eyes in the room had now turned to look at it. To say it was now the centre of attention, he grinned slightly, thinking it might have tried to smarten itself up a bit. Then a rip near the brim of the hat opened up and a loud voice was heard by every person in the room;

_Welcome, students, every one,_

_Another year has just begun._

_Before we start there's just one thing,_

_Where will we fit these new one's in?_

_But that's where I come in you see,_

_I'm a Sorting Hat, so trust me_

_To set you off on the right track,_

_Find you friends who'll have your back._

_So where will you go, your choices are four;_

_Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw_

_Lions are brave and just and loyal_

_Badgers are there, whatever your toil_

_Snakes achieve whatever they're yearning_

_While Ravens are ready and quick of learning_

_You needn't decide where you belong_

_For years I've chosen where students have gone_

_So put me on, and don't you worry,_

_You needn't get all in a flurry,_

_I'm here to help; the Sorting Hat_

_Will set you off, and that is that._

And that was that, for as soon as his song was finished the rip on the brim closed and the hat sat still, as if it was just an ordinary cap after all.

Ignoring what the hat had said, as he assumed most people there would do, Remus started wondering, not for the first time, which house he would fit into best. He thought maybe Ravenclaw would be good, he definitely liked reading and was eager to learn. After all he wasn't brave, and he didn't think the stories of Slytherin appealed to him, but he wasn't a stranger to prejudice and tried to keep an open mind to that option. Maybe he'd be better suited to Hufflepuff. After all it was meant to be the house for people who didn't fit in elsewhere, and who was he if not a misfit of society. He sighed, and tried to block out morbid thoughts. This was the day he was determined to be happy, he had made it here.

Then McGonagall stepped forward again and addressed the first years, 'Now listen carefully, because I'm only going to say this once' She paused to glare at Sirius and his friend, who Remus had heard was called James, after all Remus had stayed at the back of the crowd so was now stood quite near them and they had been making no effort to act subtle. McGonagall continued,

'When I call your name you will walk forward and sit on the stool. Once your house has been decided you will join the correct table. Let's begin. Avery, Dunstan!'

A boy walked forward, holding his head high. McGonagall put the hat on his head and with only a moment's pause the hat opened it's rip and called 'SLYTHERIN!' The boy walked forward and was greeted at the now loudly cheering Slytherin table by a tall, platinum blond prefect.

'Bitte, Freda!'

A small girl walked forward unsteadily and sat down. The hat once more made a fairly quick decision and shouted 'RAVENCLAW!'

'Black, Sirius!'

The boy from the end of the line walked forward after giving James a friendly shove and waited as the hat was placed on his head. There was a longer pause and Sirius seemed to be having some sort of internal struggle, but the hat then shouted 'GRYFFINDOR!' and the table at the left side if the hall erupted into loud cheers of approval while there were also some small noises of surprise from the Slytherin table. Sirius looked back at James with an unadulterated grin of pure happiness on his face and a thumbs up before he practically ran to the Gryffindor table and sat down, beaming from ear to ear.

Next one of the other loud boys that James and Sirius had been on the train with, a 'Crope, Tibbett' was sorted into Hufflepuff. Remus heard James chuckle and say 'Bad luck, mate'. Then Remus' compartment partner, Gonte Daswan was called up and was put into Ravenclaw. 'Evans. Lily' was called and seconds after the hat was put on her head the cry 'GRYFFINDOR!' sent her across to the far table. Before she went she gave a sad smile to a small, skinny looking boy with a rather obvious nose and less than pleasant looking long black hair. The fact she looked sad about being put into Gryffindor surprised Remus but he just thought, each to his, or her, own.

People started to blur together as one after another students went forward and individual tables sent up cheers. Remus was vaguely amused that rather than losing interest and getting less enthusiastic, each table made a louder fuss as the list went on, making it almost a competition. Meanwhile the people left standing were getting more and more nervous. Remus then tuned back into the names being called when his other train companion, Andrew Kingston, followed Gonte into Ravenclaw.

Then finally McGonagall called 'Lupin, Remus!' and the young boy suddenly found himself with the eyes of everyone in the hall on him. Miraculously he made it to the stool without tripping, or making a fool of himself in some way and sat down as McGonagall put the hat on his head. He jerked his head up when he heard the hat's voice again, this time quietly in his ear.

'Ah, you've already been through a lot in your life haven't you. I can see that. Well, maybe Ravenclaw, you would have many friends, but…no, I think it will have to be…GRYFFINDOR!' Remus took the hat off his head and gave it to the tall witch stood next to him before he got up shakily and walked towards the table stood cheering, whistling and generally making a lot of noise. He sat down opposite Sirius and the Evans girl, Sirius, still smiling, made a point of shaking his hand while Remus just grinned back. All these people looked so happy that he was here and he felt he really did belong, for the first time in a long while.

Remus vaguely noticed his neighbour, Pepin Maine, getting sorted into Hufflepuff while some other M was put in Slytherin and then Peter Pettigrew was sat next to Remus. Again Sirius reached over to shake his hand in a very authoritative way which made Remus laugh as Peter tentatively took the hand, and then 'Potter, James' ran over and squeezed in between the red haired girl and Sirius, while high-fiving his friend.

The only other noticeable thing that happened was when the greasy haired boy, 'Snape, Severus' was put into Slytherin, Sirius and James started booing as loudly as possible, which seemed to upset the girl next to them, and she made an even more determined effort to turn her back on them, sat practically sideways on the seat.

Finally the last student, 'Wood, Harold' was sorted into Gryffindor and the loudest cheers of the night finally quietened as McGonagall took the sorting hat and stool away and Albus Dumbledore himself stood up at the front of the hall.

**Reviews appreciated :)**


	10. Introductions

**A/N: And another chapter is here, for those of you who care.**

**Disclaimer: Alas, no.**

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Chapter 10

With awestruck eyes Remus looked up at the man who had made all of this possible. He was tall, and fairly thin, with, Remus noted, possibly the most magnificent beard he had ever seen, long enough to tuck into his belt. If it wasn't for this man, Remus wouldn't even be here, celebrating the best thing that had happened to him since before he could even remember.

Dumbledore held out his hands for absolute quiet, and it took a couple of moments for everyone to stop their conversations and look at him.

'Welcome, all of you, to Hogwarts. Thank you for coming back, those of you in the higher years, and I look forward to meeting every one of our new students.' Dumbledore seemed to look at every face in the few moments he took to smile around at the front of the house tables.

'Now I think some introductions are in order. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Albus Dumbledore, and for those of you who, understandably, paid little attention during last years end of term feast, I am the new Headmaster here at Hogwarts, due to the retirement of my dear friend and colleague, Armando Dippett. I very much hope that I can grow to become, even half as well loved, as he was.'

There were a few murmurs of agreement from teachers and older students alike before Dumbledore continued. 'Due to this, there are more changes in the staffing. Professor Minerva McGonagall here has stepped up to replace me as both Deputy Head and Transfiguration teacher.' There was some applause as McGonagall stood. 'And to take her place as Charms teacher we are delighted to introduce a celebrated Duelling Champion, Filius Flitwick.'

There was a louder cheer as people were obviously impressed by the title. Remus looked along the table to see which teacher Professor Flitwick was, and realised with a start that a man next to Professor McGonagall was smiling and waving, and he was barely level with her while she sat down. He then realised with increasing wonder that the tiny man was also stood on his chair.

Well, that's something you'd have to grow up tough to live with, he thought to himself.

'Your new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher will be Carina Farrow due to the resignation of Professor Preston.' Polite applause followed as a medium size, rather nondescript looking blonde witch stood and sat back down again without much of a pause between.

'She seems a bit nervous, don't you think?' James Potter whispered to Sirius, sat across from Remus. There was a devious twinkle in his eye that immediately made Remus uneasy. Sirius grinned back, looking like he was already plotting something. Not wanting to get involved, and to avoid incrimination, Remus turned his attention back to Dumbledore, just as he was saying,

'Now before I have lost _all_ of your attentions, I have one last announcement. I'm sure many of you will quickly find the new addition of a particularly interesting tree within the school grounds, but however fascinating you find this specimen I must advise you to keep a safe distance from it, I'm quite sure you'll figure out the reasons for this on your own. As I'm sure my words of dire warning will have little effect on some of you, I won't waste any more of your time, so, let the feast begin!'

He clapped his hands and the tables in front of the students instantaneously began creaking under the weight of food that had materialised on top of them.

'Ah finally!' Sirius exclaimed and both he and James reached out and started piling food onto their plates, barely glancing at what they were picking up. Peter, next to Remus, followed suit. Remus grinned slightly before waiting patiently for the red haired girl, Lily Evans, to finish with the tray of steak.

'What are you smirking at?' He looked up to see the dark haired boy with glasses glaring at him, jokingly.

'Nothing much, I'm just thinking that you two had managed to half fill your plates before some of the others had even finished ogling.' He pointedly looked at the girl next to James who was tentatively tasting the food on her plate.

'Ah, Muggleborns. They'll still have a lot of 'ogling' to do before they get used to it.' Sirius chuckled, his mouth half full of honey-glazed pork. 'But with food like this, the way I see it, it's snooze you lose!'

'Well I'm sorry if some of us haven't grown up with food appearing out of thin air left, right and centre!' said the red haired girl at James' elbow, huffily.

'We never said there was anything wrong with that, but lucky for you, my esteemed colleague and myself are quite willing to show you around.' James and Sirius puffed themselves up and began to affect airs and graces, much to Remus' amusement. They ignored him.

'I think I'll manage, thanks. It'll be easier to see without your big heads blocking the view.' She said in an acid tone, and turned away to speak to the couple of girls sat around her, one blonde opposite her and one a dark brunette, on her other side. Remus tried to hide his snort of laughter behind the flagon of juice he was pouring. James pouted and then joined in the laughing when Sirius started feeling his head, as if he was wondering whether it had grown since he last checked it.

'So I take it you're not Muggleborn, then?' James asked Remus, who rolling his eyes, had gone back to his steak. Struggling to swallow, he answered

'No, my Gran on my dad's side is a Muggle, so I'm Half-blood. You?'

'I'm Pure-blood…ish, somewhere along the line there may have been a few halves, but it's been all wizard for about five generations now. Sirius here is Pure-Blood too…'he started but Sirius cut him off.

'You might have heard of the 'Noble and Most Ancient House of Black'.' He waved his hands mockingly, like he was conducting an orchestra as he recited the name, his face settled into a grimace. 'Every single one of them's been in Slytherin, probably since the school was started. Every one, that is, except yours truly.' He grinned devilishly at this point, obviously delighted to be breaking the, rather grim, tradition.

'I'm Half-Blood too' Said Peter, who up until this point hadn't said anything at all. James and Sirius looked at him as if they hadn't previously noticed him. 'Both my parents had one Muggle parent, so I guess that makes me Two-Quarter-blood.' He grinned nervously at the other three, and after a slight pause Sirius chuckled.

'Ha, that's pretty good. So, erm…who are you?'

'Er, this is Peter Pettigrew, I met him on the train.' Remus said, when Peter looked too nervous to speak up again 'And I don't think I've said, my name's Remus Lupin.'

Their conversation continued easily, and just when the eating was starting to slow down across the hall, the plates cleared themselves and were just as quickly refilled with cakes and puddings of all shapes, sizes and colours. Remus couldn't help remarking that the other boys' appetites didn't seem to have been appeased at all by the first course, as once again they piled their plates high with anything they could reach and began wolfing it down. For once Remus thought the expression was entirely called for.

Finally, when even they had finished eating the plates disappeared and Dumbledore stood up once again.

'I won't keep you from your cosy beds. All I wish to say is; congratulations to our new arrivals and good luck everyone in the year ahead!'

With that the benches were all pushed back and the prefects began showing the first years the way. They moved as a large group out into the main hall before splitting off in four different directions. Remus felt like he was lost in a maze after the first three corridors. They finally came to a stop in front of a picture of a rather large woman in a pink dress.

'Aah, first years! A bit of a scrawny lot aren't you? How are you finding…'

'Hippocampus' interrupted the tall black prefect who was leading them, and the Fat Lady portrait, looking somewhat put out, swung forward with an audible 'humph'.

They stepped into a homely round room with a large fireplace. The room was full of several cushy looking sofas covered in vibrant red and gold materials. There were some coffee tables in the middle of the room and around the edges tables more suitable for studying. There were two large, spiral staircases at opposite ends of one wall which the prefects stopped at the bottom of.

'Now listen up first years before you take off upstairs. I am Kingsley Shacklebolt, and I am one of your Gryffindor prefects. You can feel free to come to me or my partner Natasha Moss if you have any problems at all. You may go now, and I hope to hear how you're getting on. Your dormitory is up these stairs, the first door you'll reach.'

And with that the now quite sleepy boys made their way up the staircase to collapsed into their beds. The room was filled with their soft breathing within minutes.

**Please give me any hints as to what you think of this story. Is it good, bad, should immediately be stopped and disposed of in a toxic waste unit?**


	11. Lessons

**A/N: Yay, thanks for the reviews. Sorry, about the wait. I've been practising for a test and I had a bit of writer's block, but I sat down with my Harry Potter mug of tea (nerd or what?) and I got this chapter. I'm not sure what i think of it, but hope you enjoy :)**

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Chapter 11

The next morning Remus woke up to the sounds of James and Sirius snickering to each other from adjacent beds at the far end of the room. Remus had chosen the next bed, beneath the window and Peter, who was still snoring, was in the bed on his other side. The two other new Gryffindors that shared their room had already left to go for breakfast.

Remus, not being what you could call a morning person, was quite content to lay there for a while to become accustomed to the unusual surroundings.

He was lying in a large four poster bed with red velvet drapes and matching covers. His trunk full of all his things was sat neatly at the bottom of his bed. Thinking back he realised that the night before all of their trunks had been against the opposite wall. Obviously they had moved into position once their beds were chosen.

He sat up and looked at his watch. Ten past eight. They all had to be in the hall by 8:45 to get their timetables, he knew, so he decided to get up and start getting ready. He pulled back the covers just in time for the chattering boys in the corner to burst into laughter again.

'No, you've got to be joking!' Sirius exclaimed. James could only shake his head in reply, rolling back on his bed.

'What are you two psychos laughing about now?' Remus had to ask, curiosity peaked.

'I'm just relating the unfortunate incident involving my uncle Ivan, a surfboard, and a group of Muggle tourists' James explained, trying - and failing - to look composed.

'Did he do magic in front of them? He could have gone to court!' Remus questioned but James just waved it off.

'Nah, he managed to pass it off as a trick of the light' James replied, which only made Sirius laugh more. Remus, not sure he wanted to hear more turned to wake Peter, who somehow had still not surfaced. Remus called him, nothing. He shook him, no movement. Then a pillow flew past his shoulder and hit Peter square in the face.

'Nice aim,' he said, unable to help grinning at the bleary face that appeared, slightly disgruntled from behind the cushion. 'Come on, we need to get breakfast'

They all got dressed at a leisurely pace and then set off to try and find their way back to Great Hall. They managed to get there, discovering Sirius had a certain knack for remembering directions, and realised the hall was already almost full.

When they had found a place at the Gryffindor table James said 'Alright mate, I'm definitely sticking with you if I'm lost.' Remus and Peter nodded in agreement, but then Remus saw Sirius' face and added,

'But I don't want that to go to your head.' This merely made Sirius grin as he reached for the bacon.

Not very long after they had started eating Professor McGonagall and the two prefects began handing out timetables. The first years all had the same schedule so Peter, finished eating, read theirs out, speaking slightly louder to cover the moans from James and Sirius whenever they had lessons with the Slytherins.

Then they had to make their way back upstairs to get the appropriate books for the day from their dorm before finding the transfiguration classroom, where they had a double lesson with the Ravenclaws.

It didn't take Remus long to discover that these weren't just jokers he had been making friends with. Ten minutes into the transfiguration lesson, after McGonagall had finished introducing her subject - something she had had to pause several times while telling James and Sirius to shut up - they were set their first task. The aim of the lesson was to try and turn a matchstick into a needle.

Within half an hour James had his matchstick a pointy needle shape, but still made of wood. By the end of the lesson Sirius' was solid silver but still a matchstick. Handing in his own frustratingly wooden, albeit slightly more pointy, matchstick at the end of the lesson Remus wondered about these two.

Next was History of Magic, a sinfully boring class with an even less exciting teacher, once the novelty of his being a ghost had worn off. He didn't even react when James pelted a ball of paper straight through him as he paced in front of his students. They then proceeded to bat another piece of paper to each other, which kept them amused until the end of the lesson.

They sat at a table for lunch and Peter immediately started gushing over how good the other boys had been in their Transfiguration lesson, complaining that he hadn't managed to make any changes to his match. James and Sirius took this quite happily as they ate. Remus rolled his eyes.

'Well have your ego's had enough stroking yet?' He grumbled. They merrily looked back at him.

'Aww, does Remus not feel appreciated?' Sirius cooed. Remus threw a bread roll at him.

'Actually I'm impressed you were taking notes all through History of Magic _while_ playing paper football with us.' James said sincerely. 'Did you actually take everything down?'

'Yeah could I have a copy of those?' Sirius asked. Remus frowned.

'Only if you make the copy yourselves.' he answered both James and Sirius who were sending puppy dog looks his way, secretly pleased at their praise.

The rest of the week continued during which they experienced all of their lessons and found out where their stronger points were. While James and Sirius seemed to be good in almost every subject - much to Remus' disappointment - there were some that he could keep up with them in. He found he was just as good as them when they practised the spell Expelliarmus in Defence against the Dark Arts. He sent James' wand spinning across the room more than once. Sirius was a little more frustrated as he was partnered with Peter who, it turned out, wasn't so talented.

Remus was also very happy in their Herbology lessons. He found all the plants and their properties fascinating, while James and Sirius preferred to try and feed each other to the Fanged Geraniums at the end of the greenhouse.

He realised he had a head start on the others in their midnight lessons of Astronomy as, having somewhat of a personal interest in the night skies, he had studied the stars and planets before, earning him some approving comments from the professor when he correctly found the position of Mars in the sky.

He found the one subject he was truly abysmal at was Potions class. He felt slightly better that James found their task challenging too. Even though Professor Slughorn spent a good part of the lesson with both of them and Peter - who had still not found a good subject - their water-purifying solution turned out entirely different colours to the transparent mix it was supposed to be.

As Slughorn cleared his cauldron of its dull brown contents Remus looked over to see that Sirius' cauldron contained a solution of almost perfect colour and consistency, beaten only by the potion of Lily Evans, the Muggleborn he had met at the first feast. Slughorn gave them 10 and 15 house points for Gryffindor.

As they walked out of the lesson Remus, James, Sirius and Peter were just behind Lily, who was walking on her own, looking quite pleased with the result of the lesson. Suddenly someone pushed past them and tapped her shoulder. She turned and smiled.

'Severus! How have you been?' She said warmly.

'Erm, good, fine. I just wanted to say, your potion was really good. I wish I was as good as you' said the small greasy haired boy Remus vaguely recognised. Obviously he wasn't the only one as Sirius pushed forwards just as Lily was opening her mouth to reply.

'OI! No slimy Slytherin pushes past me, Snivellus!' He barked.

Lily looked annoyed, Remus saw as she said 'Can't you just leave…Severus!' She cut off as the boy lunged at Sirius. Sirius reacted quickly and moved out the way, while James whispered next to Remus 'Wingardium Leviosa' a trick they had only learned that morning. The observers of this scuffle watched as the Slytherin's wand levitated from his pocket and hovered just above the boy's head. When he noticed he jumped for it, just for James to raise it higher and out of his reach.

Suddenly Remus knocked James as he saw Slughorn coming out of the door. 'What's going on out here?' He asked.

With a quick flick of his wrist, James sent Severus' wand flying down the hallway. Hiding his own wand in his pocket he turned and Sirius innocently said 'Nothing, Sir.' Remus had to be impressed with how well they pulled off the look.

Apparently satisfied by the assurance of one of his new favourite students Slughorn murmured a cheerful 'Carry on then' and walked away down the corridor. The boys followed a little way behind sniggering. They left Snape scuttling after his wand and realised that at some point Lily had walked away.

'Probably in a huff again.' James said. 'Oh thanks for the warning, by the way Remus. I was far too busy watching Snivellus jump about.' He grinned.

'Why did you have to do that?' Remus asked, apparently surprising the others by the looks they gave him. 'You don't need to be making enemies for no reason.'

'Well it was funny.' James tried to sway Remus who remained unsmiling.

'It was.' Peter agreed. 'Plus he pushed past us.'

'Yeah, he's just a stinking Slytherin. He deserves it, just for that really.' Sirius scoffed. Not expecting to be turned on by all of them Remus quickly stopped the confrontation.

'I guess you're right, sorry.' He said and smiled sheepishly. They just grinned and shrugged, then started laughing at how stupid Slytherins were. Remus decided to just go along with it.

After the first week's excitement, the four boys were all ready for the weekend. They went upstairs after their dinner on Friday to their dormitory, where they sat at the foot of their beds and just talked, and laughed. They did a lot of laughing.

For just this moment all their worries, especially the huge amount of homework they had, were forgotten and the four friends simply had fun and relaxed.

**Reviews make me smile**


	12. Headaches

**A/N: Okay i haven't actually proof read this chapter, but i wanted to get one up before i left for my holiday in Canada (Yay). It took a lot longer than i thought it would, i was planning on going on until the next morning, but this is already onto a 4th page, so i decided to leave it here, and i'll pick it up when i get back, i promise :D**

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Chapter 12

The next two weeks passed in a fairly normal manner. The students started to settle into their respective groups. It amused Remus that there was a fair amount of mixing between houses, even though obviously it was easier to hang out with people in your own common room, but hardly any Gryffindors spoke to Slytherins. In fact the Slytherins mainly kept to their own areas and the rest of the school left them to it.

There were the occasional ugly encounters in corridors and before lessons. Remus generally tried to stay out of the way of these but sometimes James and Sirius had a way of roping him in. Peter, not really quick enough to help with the spells or even verbal sparring tended to just stand on the sidelines and giggle. This led to their favourite Slytherin toy - Severus - hating them all equally.

This wasn't helped one potions lesson, when James was sat once again, angrily running his hands through his hair. He and Remus were stuck way behind the rest of the class. They were supposed to stir the potion and slowly add the ground aconite until the mixture turned red. Theirs both remained a stubborn shade of yellow, and they had already asked for some more aconite when they had added all of the first batch to no avail.

While Remus read through the instructions for the umpteenth time James looked around to see what everyone else was doing. Suddenly he got up and walked over to Sirius, who had been partnered with some obnoxious Slytherin, Powell, thanks to Slughorn's infuriating insistence that you can work on each other's mistakes if you were partnered with someone with similar capabilities. Remus looked up to see Sirius motioning them both over. Looking quizzical he put down the text book and walked over.

'Look at Snivelly' he whispered, motioning discreetly so as not to alert his partner. James and Remus turned to see the small boy was diligently reading out of two books at once, one appeared to be a library book.

'Maybe he's trying to get into Sluggy's good books,' James grinned, as Snape seemed to be mouthing to himself and nodding as he made some sort of mental checklist.

'Well it's working,' Remus pointed out 'His is way better than ours.' Which it was. It wasn't perfect but it was at least doing what it was supposed to after every step. James frowned and suddenly a devilish grin spread across his face. Without saying anything he seemed to telepathically pass it to Sirius. Remus, learning quickly how their minds worked, quickly grabbed the vial of Starthistle extract that Sirius was reaching for. 'Don't!' he warned.

James and Sirius raised their eyebrows. 'Fine.' Said James. And suddenly they both placed a hand on his back and propelled him forward, just as Severus walked away to get an ingredient from the cupboard. Panicked at his situation Remus looked back to see James mouthing 'Go on' and Sirius making shooing movements. He looked back just in time to see Severus glance into his cauldron as he passed it and snort. Without thinking he stepped forward and poured the contents of the vial into the Slytherin's cauldron, before speed walking back to his desk and collapsing in his chair.

James appeared next to him and, acting as though nothing had happened, began consulting his textbook.

'What did I just do?' He moaned but James just winked at him. He stood up and tried to focus on his potion, stirring absentmindedly while waiting for Snape to come back.

Next minute Snape was striding back to his place and as he passed Remus jumped a little tossing more than the instructions advised of the powder into the cauldron. Suddenly the contents swirled into a deep red colour.

'Argh!' Snape's shout echoed across the dungeon, just as James and Remus hi-fived. Snape immediately spun to glare at them.

'What?' James asked, just as Remus happily explained, shrugging 'Our potion worked.'

Through the rest of the lesson Snape kept shooting angry looks at both of them, while furiously trying to recover his potion. It entertained them a lot that since he had lost his concentration, he actually seemed to have lost his touch.

That weekend they were sat outside underneath a beech tree next to the lake, enjoying some of the early autumn sun. Remus was trying to read a chapter to help with his Transfiguration essay but kept distracted as James had a very loud exploding snap game against Peter.

When the gently throbbing headache he had been nursing had grown to a point the couldn't ignore he called in a joking way 'Oi, Map'. Sirius looked up. 'Do you know the way to McGonagall's office?'

Once he'd been told the way Remus got up to go, ignoring Sirius' offers to show him, and silently cursed his leaving it this late. It was totally irresponsible.

He reached the deputy head's office and knocked. After a short while he heard the stern witches voice, 'Come in.' He entered the room and carefully closed the door behind him. 'Ah, Remus. What brings you here?'

'I'm sorry to bother you, but I need to see the Headmaster.' He said, quietly.

'I'm sorry, he's busy at the moment but can I…?' she trailed off as a look of understanding crossed her face. 'Is this about your condition?' he was startled to see the warmth with which she smiled at him. He didn't expect anyone else to know about it, and certainly not to treat it so delicately as this. 'Oh yes. I know all about it and the measures the headmaster has taken to keep you safe.' But what about keeping everyone else safe, Remus thought to himself. 'I'm guessing that's why you came here?'

Remus nodded, wondering what sort of measures had been taken, all because of him. 'Now don't you start worrying and feeling guilty, young man. This isn't your fault.' Remus looked up, surprised she knew what he was thinking. 'It's very simple, Professor Dumbledore has had a house built outside of the castle for you to make your transformations, and it has been guarded so no other students can get to it. All you will need to do is get yourself to the hospital wing whenever you feel like you need to leave, just tell your teacher if you're in a lesson, they are all perfectly understanding.'

So that Thursday, after lessons had finished the four of them walked upstairs to the common room. They sat talking for a couple of hours, working and chatting, until Remus finally gave in to the pain in his head. Instead of throbbing it now felt like someone was hitting him on the head repeatedly with a large, hardback book so he stood up and got the other three's attention. 'Sorry, I feel ill. I'm going down to the hospital wing.' He said before turning to leave.

'Wait, are you okay. Do you want us to come with you?' James asked, concern plain on his face.

'No, I just get headaches every now and again, it's fine.' He tried to reassure them, and technically not lying.

'No, come on. We can't just abandon a friend in need.' Sirius ignored Remus' protests and jumped up beside him.

'Yeah, we're not really doing anything.' Peter followed. Despite Remus trying to tell them he really was fine, and that he was capable of walking to the hospital wing unaided, he ended up being ushered all the way to the nurse's office. He almost smiled at the irony that his friends seemed to think this was fun.

When the nurse answered the knock at the door she seemed somewhat taken aback at the small crowd in front of her. She raised her eyebrow as Sirius stepped forward officiously and said 'Our dear friend Remus here is feeling a little under the weather and felt the need to visit the hospital wing.' James and Peter grinned, Remus smiled weakly.

'And he felt the need to arrive with a personal escort, did he?' Her gaze easily worked out which boy was her patient, as he was the one becoming increasingly pale, while the other's just seemed to be warming up. 'Well, you've done your job. Now you can leave us in peace, I'm not treating all of you.' While the other's would obviously have liked to stay and play this game, there was a tone in her voice that warned them not to push it, so with a wave at Remus, they all trooped out of the door. Madam Pomfrey turned to face Remus once she had watched them all the way out.

'I'm sorry, I asked them not to come, but they wouldn't leave…' Remus began. The nurse stopped him.

'You don't need to apologise. They're some good friends you have.' he smiled at him and he relaxed, pleased she wasn't angry. 'Now is there anything you want, perhaps a painkilling draught?'

He nodded, thinking that was exactly what he wanted right now and sat down on one of the beds while she went away to get it. He took the potion and asked if he could wait in the house.

'What, all on your own? Well if that's what you prefer.' She grudgingly said and led him outside. He followed, wondering exactly where this house was. Perhaps the Forbidden forest, no one went in there, or they weren't supposed to. Then they turned and walked around the castle, not towards the forest. Curious Remus looked around Madam Pomfrey and saw they were heading directly for a huge tree, it's limbs swaying threateningly, despite the fact there was very little wind. This was the Whomping Willow, Dumbledore had mentioned it had only been planted this year. He grew concerned when they walked directly towards it, the boy's had already seen what it could do when people had pelted sticks, and books, at it.

They stopped just out of reach of its swaying branches and Madam Pomfrey raised her wand, levitating a stick and guiding it between the moving limbs, until she made it touch a small knot on the trunk. And then the tree was still, looking for all the world like any other tree on the grounds. 'Come on, quickly' Madam Pomfrey guided him through the frozen branches and in the fading light Remus made out a small passage hidden among the roots. They walked along it and just as he had got inside Remus heard the branches start creaking once more. They followed the tunnel for some time, Madam Pomfrey had to bow her head but Remus could walk comfortably and finally, it seemed, the tunnel widened and they entered what appeared to be a perfectly normal downstairs hallway.

**Be nice and leave me some reviews to read when i get back. I know, it's a sucky chapter, but i still want to hear you tell me that :P**


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